System for charging storage-cells.



No. 827,836. PATENTBD AUG. 7, 1906. A. G. WILSON.

SYSTEM FOR CHARGING STORAGE CELLS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,1908.-

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A. G. WILSON.

SYSTEM FOR CHARGING STORAGE CELLS.

AYPLIOATIOH FILED JAN.13, 1906.

PATENTED AUG'. 7, 1906;

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 827,836. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

' G. WIL'SON.

SYSTEM/FOR CHARGING STORAGE CELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

haw m j 20 a! a 'PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906, A. 6. WILSON. I SYSTEMIFOR CHARGING STORAGE CELLS.

APPLIOATIOI FILED IA]. 13} 1900.

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PATBNTED AUG. 7, 19.06; A. G: 'WILSGN. SYSTEM vFOB. CHARGING STURAGBOELLS.

APPLICATION FILED JAB. 13, 1908.

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UNITE STATS PTT FFIUFJ.

SYSTEM FR CHARGENG STORAGE=CELLSH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed January 13, 1906. Serial No. 295,869.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, AsBUnY G. WILsON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkinsbur in the county of Allegheny and State Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Systems for Charging Storage-Cells, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to systems for charging a plurality of storage or secondary cel s from a common source of current-supply, and provides means for alternately charging and discharging the cells and of interchanging the functions thereof in such a manner that while one cell or set of cells is being charged another set may take its place in the discharging-circuit to which the first-mentioned set was previously assigned.

My invention is particularly applicable to systems used in connection with railway-signals.

I will describe a system embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In describing my invention Iwill refer speciiically to a system in which twelve cells are divided into three sets of four cells each and will show how by the use of the circuits and apparatus embodying my invention any one I o the threesets of cells may be placed in circuit with the battery-charging line while the other two sets are employed in discharging their current through the various devices-such as motors, relays, it is desired to operate.

Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of a switch Whic I prefer to use for the control of the circuits embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating four differ ent ways in which the various cells may be translating &c.which connected with the charging and discharging circuits'by the use of my system.

Although the switch shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the type I prefer to use in connection with the system I shall herein describe, I do not necessarily limit myself to its use, as any switch of a different construction but performing the same functions might be used in its stead.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the switch A is made up of two double pole double-throw switches A and A and each of the said double-pole switches A and A is composed of two single-pole switches, (designated a (t and c a, respectively.) The two switches aafi are connected together by a bar a of wood, fiber, rubber, or other insulating material, and the two switches a ct are in like manner connected together by the bar a. The two bars a and a are likewise connected together by the bar 0?. Suitable binding-posts or equivalent means are provided for connecting the external circuits to the switch blades and jaws. The contact-blades of the switches a a. c a are preferably constructed of bronze or brass and are adapted to move into and out of contact with their respective contactj v s (1/9 ll (L12 0/13 14 15 In Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 I have shown a dia- %ram1natic view of switch A. B, C, D, and designate double pole double throw switches of like construction to A, and F is any suitable type of double-pole double-throw switch for connecting the switch E with the charging-circuit. All of the aforementioned switches may be mounted on ,a common switchboard, and I provide means for operating the four switches A B C D simultaneously, so that when the contacts at a, a, a, K and 01, for example, are closed the corresponding contacts of switches B, C, and D 1 will also be closed and when the aforementioned contacts of switch A are open the corresponding contacts of B, C, and D will be open. The switch E is adapted to be moved independently of the switches A, B, C, and D and may therefore occupy a like position to 1 that of the said four switches, as in Figs. 4 l and 6, or an unlike position, as in Figs. 3 and 5. k k k k and Z Z Z Z designate single storage or secondary cells, and m designates four storage-cells connected together in series, all of the said 7c, Z, and m cells being of the It" is connected to the contact-jaws a and a of the switch. A, the said two jaws being connected in multiple, and the other pole of the same cell is connected to the jaws a and a. In like manner one pole of k is connected to the contact-jaws b and b of switch B and the other pole to the jaws b and b. The

cell In is connected in a like manner to the corresponding contact-jaws of switch 0 and the cell 12* to the corresponding jaws of switch I). It will be seen that the contact-jaws a and a are electrically connected together, as are contacts a and a, and that one pole of 0. and the other pole to a and a. The cell cell Z is connected to the said contacts a and same size and capacity. One pole of the cell 5 IIO the position in which theswitches A, B, C,

Z is connected in a like manner to the corresponding contact-jaws of switch B and the cells Z and Z to the corresponding contacts of switches C and D, respectively. The con tact-blades a and a of switch A are connected, respectively, to the two sides or arms of an external circuit comprising one or more translating devices R. in the accompanying drawings I have shownR in the form of a relay device adapted to respond in the movement of its armature r to the presence or absence in its coils of current derived from cell Zr or Z, as the case may be. In like manner the contact-blades Z) and b of switch B are connected to an external circuit comprising the translating device c and c are connected to a circuit comprising R and (Z and (Z to a circuit comprising R The battery of four cells, which I have designated m, is connected as to one pole to the contacts a and e of switch E, the other pole being connected to the contacts a" and 0 The contact-jaws e and e are connected by the wire or other conductor 11 to the contactblade d of switch D, and e and e are connected by the conductor 8 to the contactblade a of switch A. The two contactblades e and e of switch E are connected, respeetively, to the two j aws f andf of switch 1 The jaw a of switch A is connected to the jaw Z) of switch B. b in like manner is connected to c, and c to d. The wires 10 and 9, leading from the contact-blades c and 6 respectively, of switch Eyform part of a circuit which comprises one or more translating devices. In the accompanying drawings I have shown four such translating devices S, S S, and S which may for conven ience be regarded as motors, and these motors, as I will hereinafter show, are adapted to derive current for their operation from the four cells in battery m or from It k Zr Zr" in series or from Z Z Z 'Z in series, according to D, and E are set. J designates a source of current-supply which provides the energy for charging the various cells hereinbeiore described, and j are wires or conductors conveying current from the said source to the switch F. The switch F is cut into circuit with the wire 7', as shown, and, if desired, a plurality of switches, such as F, may be cut into circuit on the same line y" in series with F, and a plurality of battery-charging systems such as I am describing may be fed therefrom. When it is not desired to charge any of the cells Zr, &c., Z", &c., or m, the switch F maybe thrown over onto contactsf" and f, which are electrically connected, and the charging-line 7' thereby kept closed.

1 will now describe the operation of my system and Wlll show how each set of cells 1n turn may be placed in circuit with the charglng-line and how either the is set or the Z set of cells may be connected to feed the circuit 1 comprising the motors while the m setof cells is being charged, and, furthermore, how when the in cells are feeding the motor-circuit either of the other two sets of cells may be used tofeed the circuits comprising the relays.

Referring to Fig. 3 and starting from the source J, current flows from said source through wire y", thence through one blade of switch F, wire 1 to contact-blade e of switch E, jaw 0 wire 2, wire 3, battery of cells m, wire 4, wire 5, jaw 0, blade e, wire 6, thence through the other blade of switch F andcontinues along line j to the point of connection of said line with return conductor or line 7' and so back to the other pole of the source J whence it started. While the cells m are thus in circuit with the charging-line, the circuit comprising the translating devices S S S S must be fed from some other source of current-supply. With the switches A, B, G, and D in the position shown in Fig. 3 the said circuit will be fed from the cells Z Z Z" Z, and the path of the current may be traced asfollows: Starting from one pole of cell Z, the current flows through wire 7, contact-jaw c switch-blade a, wire 8, jaw 6 of switch-F, 6, wire 9, through the translating devices S S &c., in parallel circuit, wire 10, a, (2, wire 11, (P, d, wire 12, cell Z, wire 13, d d, wire 14, c 0, wire 15, cell Z, wire 16, c a, wire 17, Z2 1), wire 18, cell Z wire 19, b, 5, wire 20, (1/ a, wire 2i. back to the other pole of cell Z, from which it started. It will be seen that in the circuit l have just described all thefour cells Z Z Z Z are included and that they are in series. Consequently the same voltage is available at the terminals of the translating devices S S &c., as was supplied by the four m cells. While the m cells are thus being charged and the Z cells are taking their place as a source of current-supply for S S &c., the four Ir cells are respectively feeding the four circuits containing the translating devices R R it It. For example, the circuit of K may be traced from one pole of Zr through. wire 22, a, a, wire 23, translating device lt, wire 24, a, a, and wire 25 back to the other pole of cell It. In like manner the circuit of it may be traced from one pole of cell Z7 through wire 26, Z), 1), wire L7, translating device R wire 28, Z)", Z), wire 29 to the other pole of lu The circuit oi it starts from one pole of cell 10 and continues through wire 30, e, 0, wire 31, translating device R", wire 32, 0", 0 wire 33 back to the other pole of W. In like manner the cell /c" feeds the circuit of translating device R Fig. 4 shows a dill'erent arrangement of circuits to that illustrated in Fig. 3. The switch It occupies the same position as. before and the 11/ cells are still connectedto'the charging-circuit and are receiving currentfrom the source J. The other switches, however, A, B, C, and I) have been thrown into their other position, so that the four Zr cells are now connected up in series to feed the circuit comprising the translating devices S S S S, and th tour cells Z Z Z Z are now connected upv individually and respectively to the four circuits comprising R R R R". The circuit which is now ted by the Z6 cells may be tracedas follows: Starting from one pole of Zr, the current liows through wire 22, contact-jaw a blade (1, wire 8, jaw c of switch E, blade c, wire 9, translating devices S S S S, wire 10, c 0, wire 11, d", (Z wire 37, cell k wire 34, d, d, wire 14, c, 0", wire 33, cell Zr, wire 30, 0 0, wire 17, b 1), wire 29, cell Zc wire 26, b 1), wire 20, a a wire 25 back to the other pole ofcell 7c. The circuit of R may be traced from one pole of Z through wire 7, a", (1 wire 23, R, wire 24, a a, wire 21 back to the other pole of Z. The circuit of R starts from one side of Z through wire 19, b", b, wire 27, R wire 28, b, 1), wire 18 back to the other pole of Z. In like manner R and It are in circuit, respectively, with Z and Z and these circuits being similar to those of R and R already described. need not be traced out at length.

Fig. 5 illustrates another arrangement of circuits. In this view I have shown the switches A, B, (l, and D as occupying the same positions as in Fig. 4. The switch E, however, is not in the same position as in Fig. 4. Consequently the m cells are now disconnected i'rom the charging-line j and are instead placed in circuit with the translating devices S S S S. This circuit may be traced as follows: from one pole of in through wire 3, c 0 wire 10, through S S S in multiple, wire 9, e, 12, and wire 4 back to the other pole of m. The circuits of It, R It, and It are fed from cells Z Z Z" Z", as in Fig. 4, in reference to which they have already been traced. The remaining circuit to be traced in Fig. 5 is the battery-charging circuit, and this is as follows: Starting from onepole ol" the source of current supply J, the battery vilows through wire j, J, and f in switch F, wire 1, c, c wire 11, (Z d", wire 37, cell Z, wire 34, d, (1, wire 14, c, c", wire 33, Zr, wire 30, c, c, wire 17, b 1)", wire 20, Zr, wire 2o, 1), wire 20, (L2, ct", wire 25, cell Zr, wire 22, a, a, wire 8, c, c wire 6,f in switch F, line j, to end oi" line and then back on line to the other pole ol" source J, lrom whence it startcd.

Fig. 6 illustratcs a fourth arrangement of circuits. In this case the cells m are in en'- cnit with S S S S as in Fig. The trans lating devices it R R H are in circuit, respectively, with the four cells Zr /r'- k Zr, as .in Fig. 3, and the battery-charging line is in circuit with the cells Z Z" Z Z T cuit may be traced as Follows:

from source ll through wire j,f, andf in switch F, wire 1 i e, 6, wire 11, (Z d, wire 12, cell Z", wzre 155,

wire 30 a wire '21. I. wire 1 7 7 his last cir- (Z (1, wire i l, 0, wire 15. Z, wire it), c", c, wire 17, b Z), wirelo, I, wn'c it). b. I),

8, c c wire 6,1 and f" oi" switch F. limwire j and back by line-wire j to the other pole of source J.

From the foregoing description of the circuits illustrated in Figs. 3, l, 5, and (5 it will be seen that by the use of my system any one of the three sets of cells, which I have designated Zr, &c., Z, &c., and m, may be placed in circuit with the batteiw-charging source of supply J also, that while the Z. set of cells is connected to the clnrrging-circuit the Z set of cells is feeding the circuits comprising it, R R and R and the or cells are supplying current to S S S S On the other hand, when the Z scto'l cells is in. circuit with the charging-line the Z' cells are in circuit with It, R It", andv R' and the m cells are again feeding S, and, linally, when m is being charged one of the two remaining sets It and Z is supplying current to S, &c., and the other is in circuit with R", &c.

WVhat I claim is 1. In combination, a charging-circuit, two independent sets of storage-cells, translating devices supplied from either set of storagecells, switches for connecting either set of storage-cells with the translating devices and simultaneously disconnecting the other set from the translating devices, and another switch and circuits for connecting the charging-circuit with the disconnected set of storage-cells, through the said switches,

2. In combination, two indcpeiulent sets of storage-cells, translating devices supplied from either set of storage-cells, switches for connecting either set of storage-cells with the translating devices and simultaneously disconnecting the other set from the translating devices, other translating devices and another 7 switch and circuits for connecting one of the two independent sets of cells with said. other translating devices through the said lirstmentioned switches.

3. In combination, a cliarging-circuit, two independent sets oi" store 'e-cclls, translating devices supplied from either set of storagecells, switches for connecting either set ol' storage-cells with the translating devices and silmiltancously disconnecting the other set from the translating devices, other translat ing devices, a third set of storage-cells, and another switch and circuits for connecting either set o'l' independent storage-cells t hrongh the first-mentioned sct ol switches with the charging-circuit and lor connect ing or disconnecting through iinlependcnt circuits thc said third set ol" storage-cells with the said other translating devices.

4. In combination, a charging-circuit, two

independent sets o'l" sioragccclls, translating devices supplied. from either set of storagecells, switches l'or ccmnecting either set of storage-cells With the translating devices and simultaneously disconnecting the other set from the translating devices, other trsnslating devices, a third set' of storage-cells, and another switch and circuits for connecting one of the tWo independent sets of cells through the first-mentioned switches With said other translating devices, and for-concting and disconnecting said third1 nentioned set of storage-cells with the charging 1o circuit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribed Witnesses.

ASBURY G. WILSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. OA-DW'ALI-JADELU M. D. HANLON. 

